To Where You Are
by Not An Elf
Summary: One-shot. Shadow's last thoughts as he battles the Biolizard. Songfic to Josh Groban's 'To Where You Are'. I hope shadow-lovers like this!


This was originally going to be angst, but then I thought it over and figured it wasn't that kind of depressing. That was a pointless thing to say, so putting that aside, I hope you enjoy this! Leave a review if you have a comment or a suggestion or whatever. Go read!

To Where You Are

_Who can say for certain?_

_Maybe you're still here_

His heart was beating painfully against his chest as he reached out and touched the emeralds, knowing that this could very well be his last day alive. The risk was enormous, but the memory was fresh in his mind.

All she wanted…her final request would be granted. He would do this now; risk his life for her, only for her.

_I feel you all around me_

_Your memory so clear_

The transformation took only seconds, but caught up in all the positive energy, he could have sworn it was a lifetime, remembering the good things only for once, no pain in sight. Looking at her, seeing her smile at him and treat him like he did have feelings…that was why he loved her like he did. She was closer than a sister, she knew him inside and out. But then the energy fades and he looks down at himself and blinks at the brightness of his now silver fur. She had thought he was brilliant, pure. He would be, tonight.

Sonic's trademark blue had been replaced with gold, but he still had his confident air and slight smile, running ahead towards the exit, where they'll stop the Biolizard before it crashes into Earth. Funny, how an hour ago he could have cared less, but now his one goal was to make sure they will all be safe. Because of Maria.

_Deep in the stillness_

_I can hear you speak_

They're outside the space colony now, miraculously able to move in a set direction in the weightlessness of space. The monster and the space colony are one, its alien mind entirely focused on one goal: destruction. It will not accomplish this goal – Shadow will make sure of that.

Sonic attacks first, striking a large, red spot that Shadow must have caused earlier, when fighting the lizard for the first time. The beast bellows in pain, an odd sound somewhere between a scream and a roar that chills the blood. Its legs flail, its neck swinging from side to side crazily, and then it has control again and a beam of energy narrowly misses Shadow as he starts to dash towards the weak point, causing him to slow.

He streaks forward, a silver blur, the stars and heavenly bodies spinning around him in a senseless rush of color, and then he collides forcefully with the menace, another alien shriek of pain nearly shatters his eardrums, and he's soaring over the colony, avoiding the tail as it swings up at him with an angry hissing sound.

He refuses to be touched. He will stay strong; no one will stop him from doing this one thing for the person who understood him.

_You're still an inspiration_

_Can it be…?_

The others in the colony are shouting encouragement and advice to the pair of hedgehogs, but he can hardly hear them. The only voice that is clear in his mind is hers.

_"Shadow…"_

He wants so badly to hear her voice again.

_That you are mine_

_Forever love,_

_And you are watching over me_

_From up above_

All these years he had hardly been able to accept this loss, remembering how her last act had been to save him, and then, tonight, he had remembered her mercy. She was unique, an angel.

Sonic is blasted backwards by a ruthless beam of energy. Shadow can see the beast's power ripple through his ally's body, ruffling his fur, but it will take a lot more than that to stop either of them. He moves forward again, a strange confidence in him. A sense that he is being protected, somehow, keeps his head clear and helps him to fight.

_Fly me up to where you are_

_Beyond the distant stars_

Upon collision, his head rattles painfully, and he takes too long trying to speed away from the lizard. A ray of energy hits him in the back before he can turn around, and he is catapulted forward, head spinning, shock waves thundering through his body. When it stops he finds he can hardly move forward for a moment, but slowly he regains control and Sonic's words, "Shadow, are you okay?" reach him one by one.

He waves a hand and Sonic nods, rushing towards the Biolizard again to attack. Shadow moves closer, ducking as two long pillars of crackling light sweep through space, nearly hitting him. After experiencing just one hit, he doesn't want to think about the consequences of two.

_I wish upon tonight to see you smile_

_If only for a while to know you're there_

_'Maria…I need you now.' _His courage can't fail him.

_A breath away's not far_

_To where you are_

Often he had looked out the colony windows with the crazy notion that maybe he would see her dimly reflected in the glass, like he had years before. Try as he might, he couldn't keep the intense disappointment at bay when he just saw cold stars and Earth, the planet that had been a mystery to him for so long.

_"Shadow, what do you think it's like on Earth?"_

Isn't Earth a bad place? All those machines, tools of war. What if one of them had attacked Maria? Where had she found the mercy in her to ask Shadow to make those people happy? Had he missed something while carrying out his revenge? Was there something he hadn't seen?

_I'm gently sleeping_

_Here inside my dream_

_And isn't faith believing_

_All power can't be seen?_

Amy is a good person. She had brought around the true memory of what Maria had asked of him, the memory that might help to save them all if he succeeds. Sonic, if a little arrogant and overconfident, tries to help people and is basically good at heart. Amy is from Earth; so is Sonic. Other people on Earth might be good too, maybe…

Another ray of energy narrowly misses him again, breaking his train of thought. He moves to attack again, but pauses when he sees the extra defenses of the lizard.

_As my heart holds you_

_Just one beat away_

Shimmering egg-like orbs hover all around the lizard, and two pillar-like beams of energy relentlessly sweep around, seeking their elusive targets. But he has to try to get past all that, for Maria.

With this in mind, he ducks a beam and looks for an opening in the egg shield. He surges forward, space once again blurring around him as he becomes a streak of silver. And as if by a miracle he remains unscathed as he hurtles towards the monster's weak point, smashing into it full force and then soaring away, the cheers of the others in the colony ringing in his ears.

_I cherish all you gave me_

_Every day…_

_Cause you are mine _

_Forever love_

_Watching me from up above_

He takes a short break as Sonic attacks, looking around at the stars, and down at Earth again.

"Shadow!" Sonic shouts as he comes shooting back, his yelling hard to hear over the roar of the injured lizard, "We're almost there! One more hit should do it!"

_And I believe _

_That angels breathe_

_And that love will live on and never leave_

One more hit…he knows, without Sonic saying anything, that this one would be his. It is a generous act, in a weird sort of way. Survive the danger and become a hero, the one who will be remembered most.

A hero. Shadow had never associated those words with himself. After all, he had lived while Maria had perished. Maria was a hero, an angel. He found himself asking someone, anyone, for her strength right now.

_Fly me up to where you are_

_Beyond the distant stars_

As he goes forward, he has the sudden sensation of a path under his feet, and the fact that he's nearing the end of it. And beyond it…he can't really see. The image fades, but the implication is clear enough. And oddly enough, he isn't afraid. Because he knows that behind the mist that blocks what lies beyond the path, there is the strong chance that Maria is there.

_I wish upon tonight to see you smile_

_If only for a while to know you're there_

A flash of light clips his shoulder, but doesn't slow his speed. The cold shock of it hardly registers – his whole being is focused on one point: the weak spot on the lizard's shoulder that will bring it down, and save Earth. He plunges through the opening in the odd shield, and collides hard, too hard, with the lizard.

_A breath away's not far_

_To where you are_

The lizards dying roar explodes in his brain, and in a brilliant flash of light that nearly blinds him, it is gone. The space colony stops plummeting, and cheers resound in his ears even as space around him starts to dim. Soon he can hardly hear them.

"Shadow! Hey, are you okay? Shadow?"

He can't hear Sonic – he's hearing another voice, sweeter, welcoming him home.

_I know you're there…_

_A breath away's not far_

"Maria," he mumbles, "This is what you wanted, right?"

He lets the blissful darkness flow around him, his eyes closing as he falls.

_To where you are.___


End file.
